Open Thread - Wednesday July 29, 2015
Good Morning, 99%'ers! For the last three months, it seems as though I have been on the road a lot and have not been keeping up with all the news and developments in the outside world, especially on the international front. With all my traveling, I have been eating out far too often and not exercising enough. I used to run but quit about ten years ago due to chronic foot problems. Now my exercise of choice is walking, but I had not been as consistent during this traveling time. So recently I decided to buckle down and get back on the walking program which has been haphazard these last three months.
I noticed that today is the beginning rollout of the mandatory Windows 10 upgrades to all PC's using the Windows 7 or Windows 8 operating system. Although Microsoft has stated that the rollout will be done in phases, no one is really sure how and when this will be completed.
There are roughly 1.6 billion Windows machines worldwide; 850 million of those check into the Windows Update mechanism every month. An unknown number of Win7/Win8 users -- let's guess 500 million -- aren't under a volume license, and thus qualify for a free upgrade. There are 5 million registered Windows Insiders, although it isn't clear how many have actually installed the Windows 10 Technical Preview, much less kept it updated. And we have an unknown number of Win7 SP1 and Win 8.1 Update users who have signed on for the upgrade, thanks to Microsoft's advertising in the system tray and the GWX program.
A group of Windows Insiders have been testing the new Windows 10 program and have experienced a number of bugs associated with it that have caused their programs to crash. As recently as this Monday, Microsoft was patching bugs in the system. As another report called it
Microsoft plays whack-a-mole with Windows 10 bugs – with just TWO days left on the clock
A number of nagging bugs have cropped up in the last few days that have some Windows 10 testers scratching their heads at just how an OS this raw can be considered production-ready.
In one case, testers who tried to uninstall programs using the Control Panel – the customary Windows 8.1 method – instead of the newer Settings->System->Apps & features method, Windows Explorer would crash and immediately restart.
Another reported Explorer crash is triggered whenever you try to enable or disable an active network connection.
The first rollout of Windows 10 will be to the Windows Insiders so hopefully any other major bugs will be worked out before they get down to the average technical dummies like me. 
Which reminds me, there is a certain irony that yours truly who is one of the most technically unsavvy users here wrote about this topic. 
Perhaps we might even have a Windows Insider among us who can tell us what to expect from the new Windows 10 and why there is such a rush to get it out the door and installed on our computers.
Update: This article and video appeared at Yahoo. com which explains a lot about Windows 10. My husband and I have both been using Windows 7, so we did not have to deal with Windows 8 which caused a lot of user complaints. Perhaps this is the reason why there was such a rush to get Windows 10 out.
Also today, July 29 marks the first nationwide organizing event for the supporters of Bernie Sanders. And yes, I do see you, Al. 
As per usual, this is an Open Thread so feel free to post on any topic of your own choosing.
Comments
God Bless BobSwern
The emphasis is all Bob's.
"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon
Thank you for posting this dk!
I just read Bob's diary and was going to post a comment of my own here. I am not a fan of Markos and think his hit piece was pretty pathetic. Like a lot of stuff he writes, it was not even good writing, just really petty. At the very least he should have had his facts straight.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
Thanks for posting the link back to this site!
I saw it and am now registered here! I can already feel my blood pressure lowering
Welcome CenPhx!
It is good to see you here. Explore and feel free to post a diary if you wish or even volunteer to take an Open Thread day.
I think you will find that the formatting here is more user friendly than at dkos. JtC and joe shikspak are working on an upgraded version for later this year too.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
Thanks for the welcome everyone!
I attended the Bernie rally in Phoenix and took many pictures (just with my iPhone so not Pulitzer worthy, but not terrible
) I was going to post it all and write up my experience, but the festival of nastiness about NN just brought me down so much I didn't even bother. I think I will put it all together and post it here instead! I actually got to sit up on the stage, behind Bernie, so I had a terrific view as people filled the convention hall: it was pretty awesome.
Yes, yes, yes...
please do!
I would love to read about it!
Please feel free to post a diary about it. JtC or one of us (probably not me LOL) can help you if you have any problems with formatting. However, even I have been able to use the formatting here very easily.
IMO, it is very user friendly.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
Hi CenPhx, joining all in welcoming you...
and, ditto, would enjoy reading about your Sanders' rally experience.
A hearty welcome, CenPhx! It's great to see you here. ;-) N/T
Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.
Thank God the pressure is lowering ... welcome ...though
I am not the dedicated welcoming committee person here, but it is definitely a pleasant and more healthy environment over here. You know if you are drowning over at the gos, this is the place where you can catch your breath with your head over the water, before you go back to drown again. That's not the best style of swimming, but for now it's the best way of surviving.
Welcome, good to see you.
In addition to the great posts and free conversation here, it is a good place to decompress when your blood pressure gets too high from being at dailykos.
"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon
Great job...
linking to here in Bob's diary this morning, as of 10:00 AM central we've picked up 6 new members from your post alone! That's the way to do it. Excellent job, dk!
I was hoping you wouldn't mind.
Your tips in my jar were helpful. Thanks
"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon
Yes, thank you dk!
Obviously it worked too!
Also I have a link to here in my sig line over there, so anyone who wishes to do so, feel free to do that also.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
Welcome CenPhx...
glad to see you here, make yourself at home.
Let's party
The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself. - Friedrich Nietzsche -
LOL, Tim!
Perfect!
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
heh...
hey cenphx, great to see you!
pull up a chair and enjoy yourself.
Hey, welcome! Nice to see you here!
"Our society is run by insane people for insane objectives. I think we're being run by maniacs for maniacal ends and I think I'm liable to be put away as insane for expressing that. That's what's insane about it."
-- John Lennon
"Impeccable record on civil rights".
Based on his record of supporting Israel's attacks on the Palestianians in Gaza, particularly last year during Israel's
inhumane attack named Operation Strong Cliff, which Sanders supported, that killed hundreds of children, I'd say his
record on civil rights in much less than impeccable. Not to mention his support for the racist War OF Terror.
What people need to remember is Bernie Sanders, like Hillary Clinton and the rest of the 1% representatives,
is a politician. There is no need for false embellishment.
I need to learn more
It's hard to have an honest discussion at DK about the areas in which Sanders needs to do better because so many people are eager and ready to attack, regardless of merit, and that brings out defensiveness, regardless of merit.
I believe that Sanders would be better than Clinton with regard to military interventions (I know, I know - that's a loooooow bar) and I liked his statements about the Iran deal better than hers, but that's about all I know. I would like to learn more and I know there are many people I've seen on DK (and I see some of those names here) who are on top of the foreign policy issues. I'd love to read more! I'm just getting the hang of this site so I will look around for diaries on the topic!
Well, evidently I'm the resident anti-Bernie, anti-
Democratic party pooper on here so be glad to spew more of my not really wanted opinions and facts.
Relative to Iran, he spouts the same false narrative that all the imperialists and Zionists spout, which is the lie
that Iran wants to develop a nuke bomb and must be held accountable for it. So there's that.
But we love you anyway n.t
"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon
I am echoing dk's comment above, Al
Heck I even gave you a shout out in this morning's Open Thread!
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
Your a good reality checker
I'm voting for him but have given up looking at any pol as a solution or remedy for what ails this country. A Dem party pooper is so much more needed then cheerleaders that blame all our woes on teh evil Repugs or the voters for not falling in line with the bs.. That old hippie maxim If your not part of the solution, your part of the problem. I think a lot of people are figuring out that voting for these owned selected machine candidates is contributing to the problem. My vote will be for solidarity with people who do want this shit to stop. Once again it's movement and is a necessary part of the process. I do hope he doesn't throw his supporters to HRC if he loses this primary. He has engaged people who had given up after Obama and the Dems. betrayals. You never know look at the Greeks, course once they voted in a leftie they still got screwed. so even if Bernie does win big we're still going to be screwed until we do have a bottom up revolution. Think that's what freaks out the anti-democratic mandarin establishment Democrat's, Markos included and the fearful stupid rank and file authoritarian lovers like GoGo or Cristin.
Good analysis, shaz!
I have posted before that I do not think Bernie is the answer to saving this country, but his campaign gives us a chance to take a measure of control over the political issues that face this nation. With him out there articulating many of the issues that most Americans want discussed and dealt with, it is providing a platform for the people to be heard. No revolution or change comes overnight, although often it appears that way. Real revolution comes about when the undercurrent of distaste for the current process becomes too great for the people to bear. This country is near or at that tipping point.
So it is more about us than it is about Bernie. Bernie is our vehicle to get our voices heard on many of these issues.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
Well, I'm a supporter, and I dare him to try to give me to Hill
I think the people who would vote for Hill because he lost or told them too is a handful.
"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon
If he does, like he said he will, can't say we weren't warned.
He has long opposed challenges from third parties and has been outspoken about the role Nader played in the
2000 election. He will certainly make the pitch for Hillary if he loses.
The main problem I see regarding the support of Sanders, besides it being way to early to focus on a fucking
election that's well over a year away when there's so many other things that need to be done, is the timing seems
right for a real revolution, not one spent enamored over what is officially a farce.
In other words, we're wasting precious time.
Well what else can
we do other then sitting back and washing our hands of this whole freaking endless mess. I just can't not vote even though it's an exercise in futility. I did the counterculture thing, I dropped out tuned in and stuck it to the man. Radish soup, finding cheap rent and applying for food stamps wore me down after a decade. That was then, when there actually was a way to get off the grid or drop out. Nowadays being poor is a crime, growing organic is illegal, and anybody who defies the authorities is a terrorist. Where are the massive demonstrations or the needed revolution? Even the artist's and musicians seem to be laying low. I figure as always you just keep working it inside and out. Movement is a good thing regardless of the pols of mass deception. who knows where or what the Bernie campaign will end up.
I took a flyer on Dean and then Obama not because I thought they were the answer but because they rallied people to their better angels. You can't look at the world through the lens of dkos. It at this point attracts cowards and authoritarian sheeple. Maybe it always did and I was blinded by the Bushies. I thought it was a RW coup I was wrong it was a by-partisan coup of the worst order. I respect your positions on Bernie, I share much of your skepticism but I applaud the people across the country that are listening to his message. Is his message sincere? Who knows. Does it vary in many, many ways from what I see as the solution? Oh yeah. Still all in all I'm voting for the dude. Sticking it to the man, shaking the cage may be a waste but hey what else is happening? Nothing other then a growing discontent with this fucked up world as we find it.
Exactly shaz...
well said!
We can boycott the two major political parties for one. I've
brought that up before and I'm far from the only one advocating such a thing. Chris Hedges for one in effect
pushes for a movement completely outside the two corrupted, RULING CLASS political parties. We have to force a
system change in our government and it can't be done by continually voting in successive elections for those two parties. We've all
seen the studies such as the one from Princeton that concluded we don't live in a democracy but an oligarchy or even
a plutocracy. It's really a settled issue so why keep pretending it isn't by voting for these 1% representatives? We know we don't
live in a democracy, when are we going to demand one?
The Occupy movement tried to keep the two major political parties out of the process for the same reason, knowing it can't be done
that way. It didn't work but it's got to be tried again but this election and specifically Bernie and the Democratic party thing is getting
in the way, most probably as intended. The last thing the two parties want is a serious challenge from a third party or an independent
working class movement.
There has to come a time when the American people demand a change in government, that's been a solid since the
"founding fathers" took the land from the Indians. I think Bush vs. Clinton 2016 is the perfect opportunity.
We've been at war for almost 14 consecutive years with the War OF Terror. The rich are getting richer by the second,
Jeff Bezos made 7 billion is 45 minutes last week.
They commit crimes in our names on a daily basis. Our Presidents, Secretary of States and related staffers are
inherent War Criminals. Our monetary system is run by a criminal cartel. We have to stop them.
Sanders will not stop them, can not stop them. We know that too. So why not try something else?
If all the people who are getting behind yet another Democratic party politician actually said hell no, we won't go,
then maybe we can get somewhere. But if we keep falling in line like good little lemmings every year to talk and
argue amongst ourselves who is the worst politician and who we should vote for, the republican vs democrat thing,
nothing will change, nothing can change.
And we've already known that too.
At the very least we should be pushing for a competitive third party like in Greece and Spain, although I think we
need a complete over haul of representative government. But for sure the democratic and republican parties
should be shunned now. Sanders is a trap, a sheepdog as described by Black Agenda Report meant to keep people
in line with the two party system and prevent a challenge. So far it's working.
http://www.blackagendareport.com/bernie-sanders-sheepdog-4-hillary
I agree with a lot of what you say
Personally, I do not see myself as a lemming or a bot. I keep trying to find the path by which we the people can gain control of our own destiny. I have stated here many times that I do not see Bernie as our savior. But I am at a loss as to how to get the message of populism out since there is no other mechanism. To me, Bernie is simply that mechanism. Having any voice is better than no voice. This is not the issue of the lesser of two evils to me. It is simply about getting the issues some air.
I keep asking the question of how can we do this now? If Bernie does not win the nomination, I will definitely NOT be voting for Hillary. I will either vote third party or not at all. But in the meantime, I want these issues aired and right now Bernie is the only one who gives us the opportunity for them to be aired on a national scale.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
I don't mean the sheeple thing directly at those here,
but as a generalization toward the American electoral process. So hope no offense.
I can understand what you're saying. More than likely we're damned if we do, damned if we don't.
If Bernie had run with the Greens or another third party it would be a different story with me. But with
the Democratic party, I can't go there personally.
To me it has to be the people's voice, not the politicians. We are the ones who have to make the noise.
We had Obama and Pete Seeger singing This Land is Our Land at his inauguration. He said some good
stuff too. It didn't matter.
Al, you and I are much
closer on these issues than you think.
We have always been. It is all about the process right now. I am willing to give the route I am choosing one last try. The big thing is that I am not blinded by personality or identity politics.
I admire you for your radical approach. I am just not quite there. But overall in my book, we are very cool.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
I know we are gulfgal. Thanks.
I've progressed in my radicalness fairly swiftly. I mean, I did vote for Obama in 2008 somehow thinking it was a good thing to do.
But I hooked up with a radical Guru who has put me through radical training and I'm now a
fourth degree organic green belt.
It's a conscious decision in a way, I've decided no more compromising with those that rule us.
I think this Bernie thing might be useful. It might be the trigger of something either way.
Bernie isn't a Democrat really, but he is close.
I support one step further than boycott. We need to take a page from the Grover Norquist playbook and punish Democrats who ignore us.
"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon
This^^^^^
My Representative, Gwen Graham falls into that category. I have already decided that I will not be voting for her again. I do not need a DINO who votes more with the Republicans on big issues than she does with the Democrats. She had her chance and her arrogance toward the Dems who supported her means she will not get my vote for sure. The lesser of two evils is still evil.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
I get a lot of your arguments and have listened
to Chris Hedges call for a revolutionary movement outside of the two party system. For some reason I don't believe that supporting the Sanders primary campaign contradicts a concurrent movement outside the two party system. Nor do I really believe that Sanders will support HRC if he loses. Why would he? It's not necessary. He can say that, but I wait til he does that. If he does, there will certainly a backlash to the Democratic Party. I think one should wait til that happens.
Doing the kiddo stuff of helping in Sanders campaign is just one little piece in the puzzle. If the population at large is able to call for that revolting and resenting movement against both parties, then one can join in.
I am not sure if the population does see the necessity yet. I certainly do, but I wait this out til spring next year. I would support the same and some additional policies that Sanders talks about, if he were to lose. Those policies will never be implemented by HRC or the Democrats. So all there would be are outside movements. Or may be something totally different will happen. Like worldwide chaos. I don't wish it upon us, but it looks very bad to me right now. Wars come over night. To get killed takes a second. To get peace takes generations.
He's made it very clear he is with the Democratic party
and will not "be a spoiler". Sanders doesn't support third party candidates. He rails on Nader for what he thinks Nader did for the 2000 election, just like the partisans on Daily Kos. He's come flat out and said he will support Clinton if he loses and encourage those who supported him to support Clinton and vote for Democrats. So unless he's a liar, . . .
"To the dismay some idealists, Sanders rejected the idea of running for president as an independent. “No matter what I do, I will not be a spoiler,” Sanders said. “I will not play that role in helping to elect some right-wing Republican as President of the United States.”
http://inthesetimes.com/article/17572/bernie_sanders_president
The Democratic party, along with the Republican party, is part of the problem. It's a duopoly for the ruling class. I don't think there's any doubt in that. The public has lost faith in both of the parties, they perceive them as corrupted and only working for the 1%. That goes along with the historically low approval ratings for Congress the last ten years, down below ten percent. The public knows, it just doesn't know what to do about it.
If all those so called progressives, liberals, and lefties who are interested in Peace would band together outside those two parties and mount a challenge
from the outside, it could be done. It was done in Greece and Spain but they let their movements become infiltrated with the same 1 Percenters who lead the Republican and Democratic parties. When that happens the results won't be For The People.
Relative to Sanders' policy proposals, that's one thing I'd like to see a debate on. Right now I'm only seeing general things thrown out like the $15 per hour minimum wage, which would be phased in over a number of years. I don't think that's a revolutionary proposal, in fact I think it's something we're going toward with or without Bernie Sanders. His proposal to "break up the big banks" is something Obama said, it won't happen. What else is he specifically proposing? I don't know.
We can't forget what happened.
Obama had people crying and praising the Lord, raising their hands to the air and yelling Hallelujah! As a Democrat for the Democratic Party.
http://www.commondreams.org/news/2009/12/13/obamas-big-sellout-president...
Relative to breaking up the big banks and taking on Wall St.
Obama said the same things. It's not new.
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2010/05/kaufman-brown-banks-obama
That might be an unfair comparison
I never believed for a second that Obama would stand up to Wall Street (although his failure exceeded even my limited expectations).
Sanders has a much better track record.
Maybe. That's the thing, do we believe this politician?
Many believed Obama just as many are believing Sanders. An honest review of Sanders' voting record indicates a run of the mill
democrat outside of a few votes like on the 2003 Iraq war. He has introduced bills that would back up his talk such as the recent
one to break up the big banks, but he has admitted he knows they won't pass so how that would translate to him as President is unclear.
His track record needs to be more carefully examined. I've read a number of articles about his track record in Vermont and a number of
progressives/liberals who say he hasn't backed up the talk with action in that state, the backing of the MIC for the F-35 for instance.
re: banks and Obama
Obama had a lot of tools that he could have used that did not require Congressional approval and he declined to use every one of them. In particular, Senator Carl Levin's Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI) issued a scathing bi-partisan report documenting criminal wrong doing on the part of th banks that had enough evidence that the Obama administration could have pursued criminal indictments if he had wished. Obama could have also temporarily nationalized the bans and even broken them up. Finally, when cornered by the Senate, Eric Holder admitted that the banks were too big to prosecute.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
But Obama is a liar, user and manipulator.
You can't ignore character.
"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon
look, AL, I don't get this country, but frankly I hope
Sanders would lie at least once. If he supports HRC after he loses the primaries, I am done with believing in anything. I know he said it, I know he wants to be an honorable loser and not a spoiler, but those honorable intentions are really hurtful to the country. I want him to lie. I just hope he wins and we can go from there and see what he and us can accomplish. I wished he would lead an independent movement after he loses, if he loses. If he loses, I don't know, I am too darn tired with so many things that I don't know what I do, but probably going off the grid and try to not be informed about anything at all, because it really feels like a corporate tyrannical oligarchy running the country. I can't even go "home" anymore, because everywhere there is happening the same kind of shit, just a matter of degrees better.
I would so regret if that would really happen and be a done deal. We have sacrificed too much. Way too much.
Perhaps...
Bernie Sanders is truly concerned that if he loses and then runs on a third party ticket that that would surely split the Democratic vote and insure that a Republican will when the Presidency. I find that a perfectly good reason that Bernie would support Hillary if she wins, although that will not work with me, if he loses, I'll more than likely vote Green.
Under NO circumstances
will I vote for Hillary. However, I am still of the belief that she will implode. She cannot continue to stay cloistered and avoid stating her positions on the big issues clearly. The public has caught on to that scam and they will stay home before they vote for someone who has no real policy stands. A big part of Bernie's appeal is that he is talking straight (for a politician) and actually articulating where he stands on most issues. People want leadership and so far Hillary has show absolutely zero leadership.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
yes, if I could vote, I wouldn't vote for the Democrats
either, if Sanders loses and ask his supporters to vote for HRC. I am with you in spirit here. So disappointed in anything the Democrats under Obama have done. Probably I would vote for the Green Party and I will see how my son feels about him voting Green as well. So far, he doesn't want to vote and is completely "not interested" in anything. Obama was a huge disappointment for him, much worse than I thought.
The pledge "not to run
as an Independent," was repeated today.
My question is: "But a right-wing corporatist neoliberal Democrat is okay?"
and,
Regarding raising the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour, even when the Democrats controlled the Senate, they couldn't come close to raising the minimum wage to just $10.10 per hour.
I'll try to find time to 'clip' Harkin on C-Span, talking about this bill--even a number of Senate Dems refused to support the bill. So, I'm rather dubious that any Dem President will get through a 'federal' minimum wage increase of $15.00 per hour.
Remember, it's easy to propose all kinds of appealing legislation/bills--now that the Dem Party no longer controls the Senate.
They have 'cover.'
Postscript: Which is not to say that Senator Sanders is not earnest in his effort/desire to raise it. I simply can't imagine that the corporatist Senate that we have, will ever (or anytime soon) go along with such a raise--regardless of which Party is in the majority.
Mollie
"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart."--Helen Keller
Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.
yeah, well, I know that, makes me just too
darn depressed to think about it every day. In the end he sounds like all the rest of the Democrats. If he wants to win, he has to stop some of stuff ALL Democrats said for years and years and never acted according to what they said. Like going to war is always the last option etc. How about just fucking pull out everywhere and stop contracting "ex military experts" to do "intelligence gathering" about what the drones gather.
So, what do you do to not just give up and put your head into the sand? Cycnicism does exactly what for you? Being angry and shouting online does exactly what? I don't see anything has any influence.
Drives me nuts. I think I go offline into a cave and meditate for the rest of my life. I guess I will be dead then pretty soon. Can't think straight today. The world is too crooked. How do you get rid off all the negativity?
Well, if we take him at his word,
he plans to support the eventual Dem Party nominee (I'm thinking that I've already posted the transcript here from This Week, with George Stephanopoulos, in which Senator Sanders stated as much).
BTW, a blogger told me the other day that all Dem Party candidates were required to pledge (in writing, if he recalled correctly) to support whoever the eventual Dem Party candidate. I'm trying to find the proof of this pledge.
The blogger attributed this statement to Anthony Noel of the New Progressive Alliance. But, due to time constraints lately, I've not succeeded in tracking it down. Anthony was a fairly major writer at FDL, at one time.
Bottom line, I believe that we all essentially do what we think is 'the right thing.' And truthfully, it is a good feeling [for myself and many of our family members] to be 'Independents.'
That is because we no longer feel pressured to vote for any candidate. And with that, we are finally free to weigh the issues, independent of any other obligations--such as considering 'the good of a Party.'
It took years to get to the point that we could no longer handle the cognitive dissonance--but when that day finally came, we didn't look back.
Hey, we still love the political process, and do our best to stay well-informed on the issues that matter to us the most.
If everyone here thought exactly alike, it would be absolutely suffocating and boring.
I enjoy that fact that members can gather here and share opinions and differences, in good faith that we are not here to diminish one another. After all, this is not a particularly easy thing to do, since a certain amount of trust is required to share such intense feelings, at least, with any degree of comfort.
When the time comes, we'll follow our conscience--which is all that can be reasonably expected of anyone.
(Obviously, we won't be considering voting for any of the Republicans--just for the record.)
So, I hope Al continues to keep us all "on the straight and narrow!" (I honestly don't know a fraction of what he knows, especially on foreign policy matters.)
Namaste.
Mollie
"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart."--Helen Keller
Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.
if this pledge enforcement in writing is what is happening
I would never be a Democratic Party member. Geesh. There is nothing democratic left than in the Democratic Party. Shudder.
Your views are valid, Big Al
(7+ / 0-)
and environmental issues, but do we know where he stands on foreign policy?
Remember, he voted for Israel during their last bombing campaign.
I'm a Bernie supporter and I looked at his site and read his issues. They say nothing about foreign policy.
I read this article yesterday at counterpunch
http://www.counterpunch.org/2006/11/15/a-socialist-in-the-senate/
I'm very tired of throwing away our soldier's lives and our money on useless wars that profit only the corporations. And kills many innocent civilians in countries we bomb or invade.
Counter punch had some great articles yesterday.
Look for the coup in Venezuela or war next.
Bernie's foreign policy needs to be addressed. He may have voted against the Iraq war, but he was on the appropriations committees that continues to fund all our wars of aggression.
Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.
U.S. imperialism is the elephant in the room for many
reasons. One is that it takes over a trillion per year from the budget and over 60% of the discretionary budget.
Another is that it kills people. Real people, like Sandra Bland. Lots of them. It not only kills people but it displaces
them, places them in perpetual poverty, and tears them from their homes.
I'm constantly amazed it's not higher on the issues list.
Here's an excellent posting on what
Bernie's foreign policy could mean if he were to become president.
"Our society is run by insane people for insane objectives. I think we're being run by maniacs for maniacal ends and I think I'm liable to be put away as insane for expressing that. That's what's insane about it."
-- John Lennon
From you linked article
Who else did? Come on friends, show me a better man.
Even a majority of the comments in the Hill piece...
...were totally calling Markos out. But Markos and most of the front page over at the GOS has jumped the shark and shown their blatant shilling for HRC.
The comments on the Hill are funny
I like the very first comment:
And then the fourth comment:
And the fifth comment:
And the sixth comment:
And on and on. No one is buying his BS. Not on DKos and not on the Hill.
Bobswern just became my favorite DKos writer
Obviously Sanders has the beltway Democrats concerned, and Markos is faithful to those in power.
Both you and Bobwern
have always been two of my favorite posters along with a long list of others to numerous to list here. David Minser and Jerome a Paris come to mind. Your quite rational and a good wonk instead of a twisty one that uses our discontent to prop up the status quo. Thanks for your work it's appreciated even by liberal hot heads like me.
Actually, gjohnsit
You have been my favorite diarist for years for the reasons I have posted many times over at dkos. You and Bob are both automatic recs for me.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
I posted KOS's statement from 2006
Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.
Snoopydawg...
the easiest way to blockquote is to use your cursor to highlight all the text you want blockquoted, then click the blockquote icon in the toolbar above the editor,. The blockquote icon is the one with the quotation sign ("), hover your cursor over it and it will display "Quote", it is the fifth icon from the end. After you click the "Quote" icon the highlighted text will automatically be wrapped with the code. That's all there is to it. Most of the icons in the toolbar work the same way.
Oops
Thanks . I'll try it.
Guess it's hard to do on an iPad.
When I previewed it, it block quoted everything including my sig, but when I post, it went away
Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.
If you...
have a hard time highlighting text with your iPad then it may be easier to just type in the blockquote tags before and after the text you want to blockquote. To see what the tags look like just click the "Quote" icon in the toolbar and wherever your cursor is the tags will show, the first tag goes before the text and the second tag goes at the end of the text. I'll blockquote your comment above for you.
Now that...
I've blockquoted your comment above, click the edit button under that comment and take a look at the text in the editor and you'll see how it's done.
Ok, I see what you did
But my iPad doesn't have a forward slash only \&|.
I don't use block quotes much anyway.
Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.
I sure wish
I had your skill at running around the crazy ass net world of getting your content out there. The hoops and ladders are so freaking depressing. 'Am I stupid' said my husband who is wrestling with trying to deal with the formats required to get yourself a decent presence online regardless of your content. Graphically speaking it's a freaking nightmare. Wish I knew HMLT coding but then again I'm a graphic artist/designer and should not have to deal with endless limitations that turn your work to tedium just to place your freakin logo where you want it on the big or small social/ professional wide world net.
My today workday rant from trying to size a logo, create a banner on Constant Comment, LinkedIn, FB or SquareSpace with absolutely no way to edit or create anything that's halfway decent, that either of us can figure out. I'm really sick of hearing 'We're sorry but we encountered a strange glitch in your editing'. I guess we need a pro we cannot afford to perform these seemingly easy tasks. Meanwhile I'm off to watch some more useless YouTube tutorials about how to go fuck myself with no sound for half the useless follow the screen examples.
Guess I'm a tad bit riled up with the endless run around's both political and net wise. Seems to me that it's all a freaking con, wherein the dice are loaded and it's all geared to a binary madness that's making a $ killing off anyone that isn't a media magnate, entrepreneur or a geek from hell. Video may have killed the radio star but the frame work of social media online has killed any way for upstarts who are not linked in and moneyed to get a half way decent presence online.
Sorry to go off topic but this ranting actually helped me with the existential threat I feel daily. A therapeutic rant. Hard for us people who have to compete in a hostile global economy that seems to include the world wide net. Bill Gates and Co. all just make it even more difficult. What a world where scammers and their geeks make you have to conform to their strange protocol which offers a huge run around and no relief. I want some autonomy wherein I can manage,decide and create what my presence on the net looks like and says.
Shaz...
do you have an example of what you are trying to tweak with the log, some code or something. What are you trying to do? Maybe I can help.
Just frustration
trying to deal with templates that do not work on social/ business net sites. No problems really, I'm learning as I go and have come around from my delusions of creative designs to the reality of here's all you can do. Adaptation to the mediocre is the only sane solution. It is what it is graphically speaking. I need to take what I can finagle out of the restraints of the nets social and business media's limited capacity. Gulfgal's Windows 10 OT set me off as after weeks months of wrangling with templates from hell that offer no deviation from the norm they have imposed. Hey they are free sort of, so I will prevail and work within the limitations imposed. My best bet at this point seems to be to design and produce on my Corel graphic software and drop my banners in rather then trying to bring in logo's type and graphics on the crappy clunky useless design your space templates.
Don't mind me just ranting and raving. Could be me and Eric maybe we are just stupid or too picky about what it looks like. Don't even get me started on the evil that is Adobe Creative Suite, which I used for years. Wish I could afford a Mac it is easier and more intuitive. I took some classes at art school for adults a few years ago which featured Adobe Illustration and their photo shop and their so called Design and came away stupider then I was to begin with. I'm an old school graphic artist, a dinosaur, who went into graphic art (print) because as an artist I liked using my hands and brain to create actual art that came from a tradition of designers, typographers,artisans, illustrators and craftspeople who plied their art and skill without having to just fill out a template and suck it up. Thanks for the offer but jeeze I need to adapt to the media I have at my disposal. I'm going to do some print direct pieces next and that will be a piece of cake compared to trying to draw with my big toe on the net's so called just create your page or banner using our shit non graphic or editing program for the punters.
However rationally speaking I see many really good pages everywhere. So I will master this leaning curve and get some decent banners or whatever on our various endeavors at marketing our net based business. Soon as I can afford it I'm hiring some mad geek to implement my designs.
I found this article from Vanity Fair
What is weird is the headline. Hillary Clinton Bravely Refuses to Take a Stand on a Major Issue.
I am not sure if it is meant as irony or what. But when juxtaposed with the final sentence (which I am not quoting), it does not make sense unless it was intended to be irony.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
'Cecil The Lion,' and 'Vanity Fair' Piece. That is odd. From
what I hear, many reporters are not particularly surprised that FSC is being so evasive--some even think that it is smart, politically. But many of them doubt that she can sustain the position of being noncommittal, indefinitely.
Some, OTOH, appear to believe that the Dem Party Base will compliantly accept her evasion--at least through the Primary Election Cycle. That would not include me, BTW.
Hey, "she's a Clinton, after all."
[I didn't say that!]
Oh, thanks for the OT, Nancy. Here's a link below about a poached African lion, that absolutely infuriated me.
Hope they throw the book at the jerk who ambushed him (from Minnesota).
One piece that I read says that the next alpha lion--who replaces him in the pride--will kill off all of his offspring, so that he can establish the bloodline.
So, the brutality didn't just stop with Cecil.
(I don't think that have much tolerance for his kind in Zimbabwe. So, he'll probably get his due.)
Mollie
"Every time I lose a dog, he takes a piece of my heart. Every new dog gifts me with a piece of his. Someday, my heart will be total dog, and maybe then I will be just as generous, loving, and forgiving."--Author Unknown
Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.
The two..
guides who lured Cecil out of the preserve have already been arrested in Zimbabwe and are facing jail time. The dentist hunter is back in the States and would have to be extradited to Zimbabwe to face charges and that is doubtful. The dentist, from Minnesota, has closed up his business and has gone into hiding, the f**cking asshole!!
Money
can buy a trophy lion but it cannot buy a clear conscience or integrity. I had a hard time looking at that picture being the animal lover than I am.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
This reminds of a piece I heard on NPR's "All Things Considered"
some time ago, when the last gun control debate was raging in DC. In one part, an elderly man had his very young granddaughter -- probably around 8 or 9 If memory serves, which it often doesn't
-- on his lap on the back porch of his home as he was being interviewed, talking about how he was helping to bring her up in the family tradition of hunting. As if to illustrate this point, when a buck showed up in the distance, he pointed the animal out to her, and asked if she thought it was beautiful. She said yes, and then added these chilling words:
He chuckled appreciatively.
I'll never understand the mentality of hunters, and sorry to those who maybe here who are.
"Our society is run by insane people for insane objectives. I think we're being run by maniacs for maniacal ends and I think I'm liable to be put away as insane for expressing that. That's what's insane about it."
-- John Lennon
Good Morning
The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself. - Friedrich Nietzsche -
i
think maybe you should clean your Windows, and go Mac. ; )
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44Ct-GsIJWI]
Good Morning, gulfgal98, thanks for your OT about Windows10
I am using Windows7 Pro and like it. Got always angry, when my son on his laptops with whatever kind of Windows edition couldn't find the options I could find myself in Windows7, but not in the other versions.
I would love to boycott Windows altogether, because of the many changes and upgrades, they are now even enforce on us.
You can't buy your OP's CDs anymore. I hate that.
I just wonder what has become to Linux? I fear one can't use all the video editing software, like Avid, Sorenson Squeeze, Final Cut Pro and Adobe Premiere on Linux. So, I already fear that nothing at all will work anymore with my video editing software, once they push Windows10 in my PC. Such a crap.
I am getting more and more hostile to Windows software. I never used the MAC and don't want it either. They keep everything under the hood and people have no clue, how the software works. Everything developed for the dummy and lazy enduser. But
so many people love it. I don't like the graphical interfaces at all. Why it is supposedly easier to figure out what's behind a darn icon instead of just write the link out in text (which they have to do anyhow, as people can't guess what an icon is all about), I don't get. Almost everybody who uses a computer can read. Not everybody can guess the meaning of a little icon picture.
Oh well, I am completely outdated, old-fashioned and tired of all that crap. /rant
Wow! You have no idea of what outdated is. LOL
First, I want to be clear, my technical expertise is non-existent.
I am so technically lost in the woods, I am not even sure what you wrote. 
For me personally, I doubt that the change will have much effect one way or another, but for those who use graphics and gaming programs, that may be another thing.
I put it out here because my husband had been reading about how many bugs Microsoft was experiencing with Windows 10, but were still planning on launching it with their Insiders today. It will be interesting to see if Johnny comments on this.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
Good morning gg...
thanks for the OT. I haven't really been keeping up with the anticipated Windows 10 release, although I think Microsoft has an opportunity to correct the big mistake that Windows 8 was, but we cannot forget that it's Windows we are talking about. First, you state that the Windows 10 OS (Operating System) is mandatory, from my reading it is not mandatory but is available as a free upgrade, meaning that you'll have the option to stay with W7 or W8 and not upgrade at all. I think all W8 owners will or probably should upgrade, but W7 has proven to be a pretty good OS, so IMHO, I think it would be prudent for W7 owners to wait for a while to see how W10 pans out.
Microsoft's new business model seems to be to output their latest OS too early and let the general public be the beta testing guinea pigs, that's why, IMHO, it pays to wait for a while before upgrading, hopefully when the majority of the bugs have been ironed out. There will assuredly be many bug fixes provided through Windows Updates along with a series of Service Packs, as has been the case with all Windows OS, and if past history holds true, W10 wont be a stable OS at least until Service Pack 1 has been issued. So, my advice is don't be in too much of a hurry to upgrade, wait and see how the general public reacts to it, and save yourself some headaches. Microsoft Windows is desperately trying to keep itself relevant by releasing new OS every couple of years. IMHO, XP was finally made to be a pretty good OS and then they went and made it obsolete, the bastids, but it's all about making money and being the dominate OS on the planet.
To answer mimi's question above. All of your programs that work on your present Windows OS should work on W10.
Ima gonna doit
The Vista is getting foggy.
The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself. - Friedrich Nietzsche -
Im not sure...
if Vista is eligible for a free upgrade, I think it's only for W7 and W8, which if true is a big mistake considering Vista's propensity to suck.
It usually isn't--I avoided it like the plague, and went
straight from XP to Windows 7--and that was kicking and screaming (as they say).
I'm not going to consider upgrading until all the kinks have been worked out of 10.
(If anyone does, it would be nice to hear some feedback, though.)
Postcript: A photo may show up that appears unconnected from my comments in a few minutes, 'cause I'm needing to experiment to figure out the appropriate size for it (to be used later).
Thanks.
Mollie
"Every time I lose a dog, he takes a piece of my heart. Every new dog gifts me with a piece of his. Someday, my heart will be total dog, and maybe then I will be just as generous, loving, and forgiving."--Author Unknown
Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.
I had Vista. It wasn't all that bad.
Now all three of my computers are runing 8.1 I looking forward to 10 - I love change as long as it works. Mr on the other hand is going to freak. He still can't tell the difference between text, gmail, and messenger on his iPhone.
"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon
I liked XP
Some of the other Windows releases were dogs. For some reason, I thought Windows 10 was mandatory so thanks for correcting that. Like I said before, I may be the most technically deficient person here which is why my writing this particular Open Thread topic is so ironic!
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
thx, JtC, then I stay with Windows 7 Pro, I like it, it's
what I am used to. Why change?
When I got my new computer
I was advised to wait a couple months before actually installing W10 to give them time to actually have it work right. It will be interesting to see if that's actually an option.
They say that there's a broken light for every heart on Broadway
They say that life's a game and then they take the board away
They give you masks and costumes and an outline of the story
And leave you all to improvise their vicious cabaret-- A. Moore
My new computer
which is about 7 mos. old has Windows7 as an OS. When my xp melted down I asked as group of dkos geeks in a geeky diary comment thread and they all said get Window7. So I did it was kind of hard to find one but I got an Acer which still carries Windows7 OS on their computers. It's still too automated and the filing is a nightmare, and filing is key in graphics. Bill Gates is such a stupid git. Who cares about refrigerators that boss you around just make a decent computer OS. I have your rant everyday, mimi, as I fight with windows to get my work done and put someplace I can find it.
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